Sunday, September 16, 2012
Kabul (BNA) Mohammad Ali, former boxing world heavyweight title holding, was awarded for his humanitarian efforts and work for civil rights at a special ceremony in Philadelphia.
The $100,000 award, called the Liberty Medal, is sponsored by the National Constitution Center, a nonprofit devoted to the U.S. Constitution, the medal was presented to the boxing great by his daughter, former professional boxer Laila Ali, she was joined by 2012 Olympic medalist boxer Claressa Shields, the first American woman pugilist to win gold and Susan Francia, who also won a 2012 Olympic gold as part of the U.S. rowing team.
Mohammad Ali, 70, a once loquacious boxer who proclaimed himself “The double greatest” but who has been silenced by a long battle with Parkinson’s disease, was honored as an icon of constitutional ideals and the American dream.
The center described him as” an outspoken fighter for religious and civil rights, an conscientious objector who took his battle to the Supreme Court and won, an ambassador for peace and justice worldwide, and tireless humanitarian and philanthropist”.
The 2012 Liberty Medal award ceremony was part of the 225th Anniversary of the center.
An annual award, it was established in 1988 to commemorate the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution Ali, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1984, did not make any remarks after receiving the award.
